Method and a system for determining the power consumption in connection with an electronic device, and an electronic device

1. A method comprising:

initiating determination of power consumption in an electronic device, to which a peripheral device is connected, and from which the power is supplied to the peripheral device, wherein the peripheral device comprises a memory, said memory storing a default value and a limiting value for the power consumption;

setting the power consumption of the peripheral device at a startup state to said default value;

reading from the memory at least said limiting value which is higher than said default value; and

setting the maximum of the power consumption to a value which is in a range from said default value to said limiting value, wherein the range includes said default value and said limiting value,

wherein information is transferred from the electronic device to the peripheral device for setting the maximum of the power consumption of the peripheral device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said limiting value is used as a highest allowable value for the power consumption.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one content is stored in the peripheral device, for use in connection with the electronic device, wherein at a stage of storing the content, the power consumption set for the peripheral device is a value corresponding to said limiting value, and at a stage of using the content, the power consumption set for the peripheral device is a value corresponding to said default value.

4. The method according to the claim 1 , wherein at least one clock signal is generated in the peripheral device and wherein the power consumption of the peripheral device is controlled by adjusting the frequency of at least one clock signal.

5. The method according to the claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device comprises at least one bus and that the power consumption of the peripheral device is controlled by controlling a width of said bus.

6. The method according to the claim 1 , wherein the peripheral device is provided with two or more storage blocks controlled by controlling a number of storage blocks processed by the peripheral device substantially simultaneously.

7. A method comprising:

initiating determination of power consumption in an electronic device, to which a peripheral device is connected, and from which the power is supplied to the peripheral device, wherein the peripheral device comprises a memory, said memory storing a default value and a limiting value for the power consumption;

setting the power consumption of the peripheral device at a startup stage to said default value;

reading from the memory at least said limiting value which is higher than said default value; and

setting the maximum of the power consumption to a value which is in a range from said default value to said limiting value, wherein the range includes said default value and said limiting value,

wherein messages are transferred between the electronic device and the peripheral device for setting the maximum of the power consumption of the peripheral device to a value in a range from said default value to said limiting value, wherein the range includes said default value and said limiting value.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said limiting value is used as a highest allowable value for the power consumption.

9. A system comprising

a peripheral device, wherein the peripheral device comprises a memory, said memory storing a default value and a limiting value for the power consumption;

an electronic device with means for connecting the peripheral device and means for supplying power to the peripheral device, and

means for determining power consumption,

wherein the power consumption of the peripheral device is set at a startup stage to said default value,

wherein at least said limiting value which is higher than said default value is stored for the power consumption,

wherein the means for determining the power consumption comprise means for setting a maximum power consumption of the peripheral device to a value which is in a range from said default value to said limiting value, said range including said default value and said limiting value, and

wherein the electronic device is configured to transfer information to the peripheral device for setting the maximum of the power consumption of the peripheral device.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the peripheral device comprises means for generating at least one clock signal, and wherein the system comprises means for controlling the power consumption of the peripheral device by adjusting the frequency of said at least one clock signal.

11. The system according to claim 9 ,

wherein the peripheral device comprises at least one bus, and

wherein the system comprises means for controlling the power consumption of the peripheral device by adjusting a bus width of the peripheral device.

12. The system according to the claim 9 ,

wherein the peripheral device is provided with two or more storage blocks, and

wherein the means for controlling the power consumption of the peripheral device comprise means for adjusting a number of storage blocks processed by the peripheral device substantially simultaneously.

13. The system according to the claim 9 , wherein the electronic device is a portable electronic device.

14. The system according to claim 13 , further comprising means for performing mobile station functions.

15. An electronic device comprising:

means for connecting a peripheral device, wherein the peripheral device comprises a memory, said memory storing a default value and a limiting value for the power consumption;

means for supplying power to the peripheral device; and

means for determining power consumption,

wherein the power consumption of the peripheral device is set at a startup stage to said default value,

wherein at least said limiting value which is higher than said default value is defined for the power consumption,

wherein the means for determining the power consumption comprise means for setting a maximum power consumption of the peripheral device to a value which is in a range from said default value to said limiting value, said range including said default value and said limiting value, and

wherein the means for supplying the power is configured to transfer information to the peripheral device for setting the maximum of the power consumption of the peripheral device.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15 , wherein it is a portable electronic device.

17. The electronic device according to claim 16 , further comprising means for performing mobile station functions.

18. A peripheral device comprising:

a memory storing a default value and a limiting value for power consumption;

means for connecting the peripheral device to an electronic device for supplying power to the peripheral device,

wherein the power consumption of the peripheral device is set at a startup stage to said default value,

wherein at least said limiting value which is higher than said default value is defined for power consumption,

wherein the peripheral device comprises means for setting a maximum power consumption of the peripheral device to a value which is in a range from said default value to said limiting value, said range including said default value and said limiting value, and

wherein the peripheral device is configured to receive information from the electronic device for setting the maximum of the power consumption of the peripheral device.

19. The peripheral device according to claim 18 , wherein at least one content is stored in the peripheral device for use in connection with the electronic device.

20. The peripheral device according to claim 18 , further comprising

means for generating at least one clock signal and

means for controlling the power consumption of the peripheral device by frequency control of said at least one clock signal.

21. The peripheral device according to claim 18 , further comprising

at least one bus and

means for controlling the power consumption of the peripheral device by controlling a bus width of said bus of the peripheral device.

22. The peripheral device according to the claim 18 ,

wherein the peripheral device is provided with two or more storage blocks, and

wherein the means for controlling the power consumption of the peripheral device comprise means for controlling a number of storage blocks processed by the peripheral device substantially simultaneously.

23. The peripheral device according to the claim 18 , wherein said default value and at least one limiting value are stored in the peripheral device.

24. The peripheral device according to the claim 18 , wherein said peripheral device is a MultiMediaCard™ peripheral device.

25. An electronic device comprising:

a connector configured to connect to a peripheral device, wherein the peripheral device comprises a memory, said memory storing a default value and a limiting value for the power consumption;

a power supply configured to supply power to the peripheral device; and

a power gauge configured to determine power consumption,

wherein the power consumption of the peripheral device is set at a startup stage to said default value,

wherein at least said limiting value which is higher than said default value is defined for the power consumption,

wherein the means for determining the power consumption comprise means for setting a maximum power consumption of the peripheral device to a value which is in a range from said default value to said limiting value, said range including said default value and said limiting value, and

wherein the electronic device is configured to transfer information to the peripheral device for setting the maximum of the power consumption of the peripheral device.

26. The electronic device according to claim 25 , wherein it is a portable electronic device.

27. The electronic device according to claim 25 , further comprising a memory configured to store the default value and the limiting value.

28. A peripheral device comprising:

a memory storing a default value and a limiting value for power consumption;

a connector configured to connect the peripheral device to an electronic device for supplying power to the peripheral device,

wherein the power consumption of the peripheral device is set at a startup stage to said default value,

wherein at least said limiting value which is higher than said default value is defined for power consumption,

wherein the peripheral device comprises means for setting a maximum power consumption of the peripheral device to a value which is in a range from said default value to said limiting value, said range including said default value and said limiting value, and

wherein the peripheral device is configured to receive information from the electronic device for setting the maximum of the power consumption of the peripheral device.

29. The peripheral device according to the claim 28 , wherein said default value and at least one limiting value are stored in the peripheral device.